This invention relates to water granulation. In one aspect, this invention relates to an apparatus useful for the water granulation of molten matte or slag while in another aspect, this invention relates to a method of water granulating matte or slag. In yet another aspect this invention relates to an apparatus and method of water granulating matte or slag in an environmentally safe manner and with minimal, if any, phreatic explosions.
In the various pyrometallurgical processes, particularly nonferrous processes, molten matte and slag are generated as intermediate product and by-product, respectively. Efficient handling of these materials favors their reduction to a flowabie, particulate state. Many methods are known for making this reduction, and these include water granulation, air granulation, grinding, rotary atomization (as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,521 which is incorporated herein by reference) and the like. For reasons of convenience, safety and cost, water granulation is often a preferred method of size reducing matte and slag. One representative water granulation method is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,279 which is incorporated herein by reference.
While all of the above techniques are effective to one degree or another, all are subject to improvement, particularly with respect to environmental and safety considerations. With respect to water granulation in particular, improvements in gas emission capture and reduction in phreatic explosions are the targets of a constant quest.